
Ciass_E4ii. 
Book 3 17 



PRESE> 



T. FEATHERSTONHAUGH 



/ 

ANTI-SLAVERY TRACTS. No. 7. New Series. 



TESTIMONIES ~^' 



CAPT. JOHN BROWN. 



HAEPER'S FEEHY, 



WITH HIS 



ADDEESS TO THE COURT. 



" IIe, being dead, yet speaketh." 



NEW YORK: 

PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY. 
♦ 1860. 



3W W" 









7. t5%#.. 

'/ 



oH-i^^^i 



EXTRACTS 



LETTERS OF CAPT. JOHN BROWN, 



" I feel quite cheerful m the assurance that God reigns, 
and will overrule all for his glorj and the best possible good. 
I feel no consciousness of guilt in the matter, nor even mor- 
tification on account of my imprisonment and irons; and I 
feel perfectly assured that very soon no member of my family 
will feel any possible disposition to 'blush on my account.' 
Already, dear friends at a distance, with kindest sympathy, 
are cheering me with the assurance that posterity, at least, 
will do me justice. I shall commend you all together, with 
my beloved, but bereaved, daughters-in-law, to their sympa- 
thies, which I have no doubt will soon reach you. I also 
commend you all to Him 'whose mercy endureth for ever' — 
to the God of my fathers, 'whose I am, and whom I serve.' 
He will never leave you nor forsake you,' unless you forsake 
Him. Finally, my dearly beloved, be of good comfort. Be 
sure to remember and to follow my advice, and my example 
too, so far as it has been consistent with the holy religion of 
Jesus Christ, in which I remain a most firm and humble be- 
liever. Never forget the poor, nor think any thing you 
bestow on them to be lost to you, even though they may be 
as black as Ebedmelech, the Ethiopian eunuch, who cared for 
Jeremiah in the pit of the dungeon, or as black as the one to 
whom Philip preached Christ. Be sure to entertain stran- 
gers, for thereby some have ' Remember them that 

are in bonds as bound with them.' I am in charge of a 
jailer like the one who took charge of Paul and Silas, and 
you may rest assured that both kind hearts and kind faces are 
more or less about me, whilst thousands are thirsting for my 



4 EXTRACTS FROM THE 

blood. 'These light afflictions, which are but for a moment, 
shall work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight 
of glory.' " 

"When and in what form death may come is of but small 
moment. I feel just as content to die for God's eternal 
truth, and for suffering humanity, on the scaffold, as in any 
other way. And I do not say this from any disposition to 
'brave it out.' No; I would readily own my wrong, were I 
in the least convinced of it. I have now been confined over 
a month, with a good opportunity to look the whole thing as 
' fair in the face 'as I am capable of doing ; and I now feel 
it most grateful that I am counted in the least possible degree 
worthy to suffer for the truth. I want you all to 'be of good 
cheer.' This life is intended as a season of training, chastise- 
ment, temptation, affliction, and trial, and 'the righteous shall 
come out of ' it all. 0, my dear children, let me again entreat 
you all to 'forsake the foolish and live.' What can you pos- 
sibly lose by such a course? 'Godliness with contentment is 
great gain, having the promise of the life that now is, and of 
that which is to come.' 'Trust in the Lord and do good, so 
shalt thou dwell in the land ; and verily thou shalt be fed.' 
I have enjoyed life much ; why should I complain on leav- 
ing it ? . . . 'To God and the word of his grace I commend 
you all.' " 

"It is solely my own fault, in a military point of view, 
that we met with our disaster — I mean, that I mingled with 
our prisoners, and so far sympathized with them and their 
families, that 1 neglected my duty in other respects. But 
God's will, not mine, be done. 

" You know that Christ once armed Peter. So also in my 
case ; I think he put a sword into my hand, ajnd there contin- 
ued it, so long as he saw best, and then kindly took it from 
me. I mean when I first went to Kansas. I wish you could 
know with what cheerfulness I am now wielding the ' sword 
of the Spirit ' on the right hand and on the left. I bless 
God that it proves ' mighty to the pulling down of strong- 
holds.'" 

" I do not feel conscious of guilt in taking up arms ; and 
had it been in behalf of the rich and powerful, the intelli- 



LETTERS OF JOHN BROWN. 

gent, the great, — as men count greatness, — of those who 
form enactments to suit themselves and corrupt others, or 
some of their friends, that I interfered, suffered, sacrificed 
and fell, it would have been doing very well. But enough of 
this. 

"These light afflictions, which endure for a moment, shall 
work out for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of 
glory. . . . God will surely attend to his own cause in the 
best possible way and time, and he will not forget the work 
of his own hands." 

" I am quite cheerful, having, as I trust, the peace of 
God, which 'passeth all understanding,' to ' rule in my heart,' 
and the testimony (in some degree) of a good conscience that 
1 have not lived altogether in vain. I can trust God with 
both the time and the manner of my death, believing, as I 
now do, that for me at this time to seal my testimony for 
God and humanity with my blood, will do vastly more 
towards advancing the cause I have earnestly endeavored to 
promote, than all I have done in my life before. I beg of 
you all meekly and quietly to submit to this; not feeling 
yourselves in the least degraded on that account. Remem- 
ber, dear wife and children all, that Jesus of Nazareth suf- 
fered a most excruciating death on the cross as a felon, under 
the most aggravating circumstances. Think, also, of the 
prophets, and apostles, and Christians of former days, who 
went through greater tribulations than you or 1, and (try to) 
be reconciled. May God Almighty comfort all your hearts, 
and soon wipe away all tears from your eyes ! To Him be 
endless praise! Think, too, of the crushed millions who 
'have no comforter.' I charge you all never, in your trials, 
to forget the griefs of 'the poor that cry, and of those that 
have none to help them.' 

'"Finally, my beloved, be of good comfort.' May all 
your names be ' written on the Lamb's book of life' — may 
you all have the purifying and sustaining influence of the 
Christian religion — is the earnest prayer of your affectionate 
husband and father. 

"I cannot remember a night so dark as to have hindered 
the coming day, nor a storm so furious or dreadful as to pre- 
vent the return of warm sunshine and a cloudless sky. But, 



b EXTRACTS FROM THE 

beloved ones, do remember that tbis is not your rest, that in 
this world you have no abiding-place or continuing city. To 
God and his infinite mercy I always commend you." 

" I am gaining in health slowly, and am quite cheerful in 
view of my approaching end, being fully persuaded that I 
am worth inconceivably more to hang than for any other 
purpose. 

"Say to my poor boys never to grieve for one moment on 
my account ; and should many of you live to see the time 
when you will not blush to own your relation to Old John 
Brov/n, it will not be more strange than many things that 
have happened. I feel a thousand times more on account of 
my sorrowing friends than on my own account. So far as I 
am concerned, I ' count it all joy.' 'I have fought the good 
fight,' and have, as I trust, ' finished my course.' My love to 
all ; and may God, in his infinite mercy, for Christ's sake, 
bless and save you all." 

"I do certainly feel that through divine grace I have en- 
deavored to be 'faithful in a very few things,' mingling with 
even these much of imperfection. I am certainly ' unwor- 
thy even to sufi'er affliction with the people of God ; ' yet in 
infinite grace he has thus honored me. May the same grace 
enable me to serve him in a 'new obedience,' through my lit- 
tle remainder of this life, and to rejoice in him for ever. I 
cannot feel that God will suffer even the poorest service we 
may any of us render him or his cause to be lost or in vain. 
I do feel, 'dear brother,' that I am wonderfully ' strengthened 
from on high.' May I use that strength in 'showing his 
strength unto this generation,' and his power to every one 
that is to come." 

" I have many opportunities for faithful plain dealing with 
the more powerful, influential, and intelligent classes in this 
region, which I trust are not entirely misimproved. I hum- 
bly trust that I firmly believe that ' God reigns,' and I think 
I can truly say, 'Let the earth rejoice.' May God take care 
of his own cause, and of his own great name, as well as of 
those who love their neighbors." 

"Notwithstanding ' my soul is amongst lions,' still I believe 
that ' God in very deed is with me.' You will not, therefore, 



LETTERS OP JOHN BROWN. 7 

feel surprised when I tell you that I am 'joyful in all my 
tribulations'; that I do not feel condemned of him whose 
judgment is just, nor of my own conscience. Nor do I feel 
degraded by my imprisonment, my chain, or prospect of the 
gallows. I have not only been (though utterly unworthy) 
permitted to 'suffer affliction with God's people,' but have 
also had a great many rare opportunities for ' preaching- 
righteousness in the great congregation.' I trust it will not 
all be lost. The jailer in whose charge I am, and his family 
and assistants, have all been most kind ; and, notwithstanding 
he was one of the bravest of all who fought me, he is now 
being abused for his humanity. So far as my observation 
goes, none but brave men are likely to be humane to a fallen 
foe. Cowards prove their courage by their ferocity. It may 
be done in that way with but little risk." 

" Christ, the great Captain of liberty as well as of salva- 
tion, and who began his mission, as foretold of him, by pro- 
claiming it, saw fit to take from me a sword of steel, after I 
had carried it for a time; but he has put another in my 
hand, ' the sword of the Spirit'; and 1 pray God to make me 
a faithful soldier wherever he may send me — not less on the 
scaffold, than when surrounded by my warmest sympathizers. 

" My dear old friend, I do assure you that I have not forgot- 
ten our last meeting, nor our retrospective look over the 
route by which God had then led us; and I bless his name 
that he has again enabled me to hear your words of cheering 
and comfort at a time when I, at least, am on the 'brink of 
Jordan.' (See Bunyan's Pilgrim.) God in infinite mercy 
grant us soon another meeting on the opposite shore. I have 
often passed under the rod of Him whom I call my Father ; 
and certainly no son ever needed it oftener ; and yet I have 
enjoyed much of life, as I was enabled to discover the secret 
of this somewhat early. It hjjs been in making the prosper- 
ity and the happiness of others my own ; so that retilly I 
have had a great deal of prosperity. I am very prosperous 
still, and looking forward to a time when ' peace on earth 
and good will to men ' shall every where prevail ; I have no 
murmuring thoughts or envious feelings to fret my mind. 
'I'll praise my Maker with my breath.'" 

"As I believe most firmly that God reigns, I cannot 
believe that any thing I have done, suffered, or may yet suf- 



5 EXTRACTS FROM THE 

fer, will be lost to the cause of God or of humanity. And 
before I began my work at Harper's Ferry, I felt assured 
that in the worst event, it would certainly pay. I often ex- 
pressed that belief, and can now see no possible cause to alter 
my mind. I am not as yet, in the main, at all disappointed. 
I have been a good deal disappointed as regards mj'-self in not 
keeping up to my own plans ; but I now feel entirely recon- 
ciled to that, even ; for Grod's plan was infinitely better, no 
doubt, or I should have kept to my own. Had Samson kept 
to his determination of not telling Delilah wherein his great 
strength lay, he would probably never have overturned the 
house. I did not tell Delilah; but I was induced to act very 
contrary to my better judgment; and I have lost my two 
noble boys, and other friends, if not my two eyes. 

"But 'Grod's will, not mine, be done.' I feel a comforta- 
ble hope that, like that erring servant of whom I have just 
been writing, even I may, through infinite mercy in Christ 
Jesus, yet ' die in faith.' As to both the time and manner of 
my death, I have but very little trouble on that score, and 
am able to be, as you exhort, ' of good cheer.' " 

"Let me say a word about the efibrt to educate our daugh- 
ters. I am no longer able to provide means to help towards 
that object, and it therefore becomes me not to dictate in the 
matter. I shall gratefully submit the direction of the whole 
thing to those whose generosity may lead them to undertake 
it in their behalf, while I give anew a little expression of my 
own choice respecting it. You, my wife, perfectly well know 
that I have always expressed a decided preference for a very 
plain, but perfectly practical, education for both sons and 
daughters. I do not mean an education so very miserable as 
that you and I received in early life, nor as some of our chil- 
dren enjoyed. When I say. plain, but practical, I mean 
enough of the learning of the schools to enable them to trans- 
act the common business of life comfortably and respectably, 
together with that thorough training to good business habits 
which best prepares both men and women to be useful, though 
poor, and to meet the stern realities of life with a good grace. 
You well know that I always claimed that the music of the 
broom, wash-tub, needle, spindle, loom, axe, scythe, hoe, flail, 
&c., should first be learned at all events, and that of the piano, 



LETTERS OP JOHN BROWN. 9 

&c., afterwards. I put them in that order as most conducive 
to health of body and mind ; and for the obvious reason that, 
after a life of some experience and of much observation, I 
have found ten women, as well as ten men, who have made 
their mark in life right, whose early training was of that 
plain, practical kind, to one who had a more popular and 
fashionable early training." 

" Tell your father that I am quite cheerful ; that I do not 
feel myself in the least degraded by my imprisonment, my 
chains, or the near prospect of the gallows. Men cannot im- 
prison, or chain, or hang the soul. I go joyfully in behalf 
of millions that ' have no rights ' that this great and glorious, 
this Christian Republic is 'bound to respect,' Strange 
change in morals, political as well as Christian, since 1776! 
I look forward to other changes to take place in God's good 
time, fully believing that the ' fashion of this world passeth 
away.'" 

" I am ' joyful in all my tribulations,' even since my con- 
finement, and I humbly trust that ' I know in whom I have 
trusted.' A calm peace, perhaps like that which your own 
dear mother felt, in view of her last change, seems to fill my 
mind by day and by night. Of this, neither the powers of 
' earth or hell ' can deprive me. Do not, dear children, any 
of you, grieve for a single moment on my account. As I 
trust my life has not been thrown away, so I also humbly 
trust that my death shall not be in vain. God can make it 
to be a thousand times more valuable to his own cause than 
all the miserable service, at best, that I have rendered it dur- 
ing my life. ... I know of nothing you can any of you now 
do for me, unless it is to comfort your own hearts, and cheer 
and encourage each other to trust in God, and Jesus Christ, 
whom he hath sent. If you will keep his sayings, you shall 
certainly 'know of his doctrine, whether it be of God or no.' 
Nothing can be more grateful to me than your earnest sym- 
pathy, except it be to know that you are fully persuaded to 
be Christians." 

"I am not a stranger to the way of salvation by Christ. 
From my youth, I have studied much on that subject, and at 



10 



EXTRACTS FROM THE 



one time hoped to be a minister myself ; but God had another 
work for me to do. To me it is given, in behalf of Christ, 
not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. 
But while I trust that I have some experimental and saving- 
knowledge of religion, it would be a great pleasure to me to have 
some one better qualified than myself to lead my mind in 
prayer and meditation, now that my time is so near a close. 
You may wonder, are there no ministers of the gospel here ? 
I answer, No. There are no ministers of Christ here. 
These ministers who profess to be Christian, and hold slaves 
or advocate slavery, I cannot abide them. My knees will not 
bend in prayer with them while their hands are stained with 
the blood of souls. 

"The subject you mention as having been preaching on, the 
day before you wrote to me, is one which I have often thought 
of since my imprisonment. I think I feel as happy as Paul 
did when he lay in prison. He knew if they killed him, it 
would greatly advance the cause of Christ ; that was the 
reason he rejoiced so. On that same ground ' I do rejoice, 
yea, and will rejoice.' Let them hang me; I forgive them, 
and may Grod forgive them, for they know not what they do. 
I have no regret for the transaction for which I am con- 
demned. I went against the laws of men, it is true ; but 
* whether it be right to obey Grod or men, judge ye.' Christ 
told me to remember them that are in bonds as bound with 
them, to do towards them as I would wish them to do towards 
me in similar circumstances. My conscience bade me ,do 
that. I tried to do it, but failed. Therefore I have no 
regret on that score. I have no sorrow, either, as to the 
result, only for my p 3or wife and children. They have suf- 
fered much, and it is hard to leave them uncared for. But 
God will be a husband to the widow, and a father to the 
fatherless." 

"I have had many interesting visits from pro-slavery per- 
sons, almost daily, and I endeavor to improve them faithful- 
ly, plainly and kindly. I do not think I ever enjoyed life 
better than since my confinement here. For this I am 
indebted to Infinite Grace, and kind letters from friends from 
different quarters. I wi.^^h I could only know that all my 
poor family were as composed and as happy as I. I think 



LETTERS OF JOHN BROWN. 11 

nothing but the Christian religion could ever make any one 
so composed. 



' My willing soul would stay 
In such a frame as this.' " 



"Although I have not been at all low-spirited nor cast down 
in feeling since being imprisoned and under sentence, which 
I am fully aware is soon to be carried out, it is exceedingly 
gratifying to learn from friends that there are not wanting in 
this generation some to sympathize with me and appreciate 
my motive, even now that I am whipped. Success is in gen- 
eral the standard of all merit. I have passed my time here 
quite cheerfully, still trusting that neither my life nor my 
death will prove a total loss. As regards both, however, I 
am liable to mistake. It affords me some satisfaction to feel 
conscious of having at least tried to better the condition of 
those who are always on the under-hill side, and I am in hope 
of being able to meet the consequences without a murmur. 
I am endeavoring to get ready for another field of action, 
where no defeat befalls the truly brave. That ' God reigns,' 
and most wisely, and controls all events, might, it would 
seem, reconcile those who believe it to much that appears to 
be very disastrous. I am one who has tried to believe that, 
and still keep trying. Those who die for the truth may prove 
to be courageous at last; so I continue 'hoping on,' till I 
shall find that the truth must finally prevail. I do not feel 
in the least degree despondent nor degraded by my circum- 
stances, and I entreat my friends not to grieve on my ac- 
count." 

"I will add, if the Court will allow me, that I look upon 
it as a miserable artifice and pretext of those who ought to 
take a different course in regard to me, if they took any at 
all, and I view it with contempt more than otherwise. In- 
sane persons, so far as my experience goes, have but little 
ability to judge of their own sanity; and if I am insane, of 
course I should think I knew more than all the rest of the 
world. But I do not think so. I am perfectly unconscious 
of insanity, and I reject, so far as I am capable, any attempts 
to interfere in my behalf on that score." 



12 EXTRACTS FROM THE 

"The great bulk of mankind estimate each otlier's actions 
and motives by the measure of success or otherwise that 
attends them through life. Bj that rule, I have been one of 
the worst and one of the best of men. I do not claim to have 
been one of the latter ; and I leave it to an impartial tribu- 
nal to decide whether the world has been the worse or the 
better for my living and dying in it. My present great anx- 
iety is to get as near in readiness for a different field of action 
as I well can, since being in a good measure relieved from the 
fear that my poor, broken-hearted wife and children would 
come to immediate want. May God reward, a thousand 
fold, all the kind efforts made in their behalf! 

" I have enjoyed remarkable cheerfulness and composure 
of mind ever since my confinement ; and it is a great comfort 
to feel assured that I am permitted to die for a cause, not 
merely to pay the debt of nature, as all must. I feel myself 
to be most unworthy of so great distinction. The particular 
manner of dying assigned to me gives me but very little un- 
easiness. I wish I had the time and the ability to give you, 
my dear friend, some little idea of what is daily, and, I 
might almost say, hourly, passing within my prison-walls ; 
and could my friends but witness only a few of those scenes, 
just as they occur, I think they would feel very well recon- 
ciled to my being here just what I am, and just as I am. 
My whole life before had not afforded me one half the oppor- 
tunity to plead for the right. In this, also, I find much to 
reconcile me both to my present condition and my immediate 
prospect. I may be very insane (and I am so, if insane at 
all) ; but if that be so, insanity is like a very pleasant dream 
to me. I am not in the least degree conscious of any ravings, 
of any fears, or of any terrible visions whatever ; but fancy 
myself entirely composed, and that my sleep, in particular, is 
as sweet as that of a healthy, joyous little infant. I pray 
God that he will grant me a continuance of the same calm, 
but delightful, dream, until I come to know of those realities 
which ' eyes have not seen, and which ears have not heard.' 
I have scarce realized that I am in prison, or in irons, at all. 
I certainly think I was never more cheerful in my life." 

" I am waiting the hour of my public murder with great 
composure of mind and cheerfulness, feeling the strong 



LETTERS OE JOHN BROWN. 13 

assurance, that in no other possible way could I be used to 
so much advantage to the cause of God and of humanity, and 
that nothing that either I or all my family have sacrificed or 
suffered will be lost. The reflection that a wise and merciful, 
as well as a just and holy God, rules not only the affairs of 
this world, but of all worlds, is a rock to set our feet upon 
under all circumstances — even those more severely trying 
ones into which our own feelings and wrongs have placed 
us. I have now no doubt but that our seeming disaster will 
ultimately result in the most glorious success. So, my dear 
shattered and broken family, be of good cheer, and believe 
and trust in God with all your heart, and ^'^ith all your soul, 
for he doeth all things well. Do not feel ashamed on my 
account, nor for one moment despair of the cause or grow 
weary of well doing. I bless God I never felt stronger con- 
fidence in the certain and near approach of a bright morning 
and glorious day than I have felt, and do now feel, since my 
confinement here. I am endeavoring to return, like a poor 
prodigal as I am, to my Father, against whom I have always 
sinned, in the hope that he may kindly and forgivingly meet 
me, though a very great way oii. 

"0, my dear wife and children, would to God you could 
know how I have been travailing in birth for you all, that 
no one of you may fail of the grace of God through Jesus 
Christ ; that no one of you may be blind to the truth and 
glorious light of his Word, in which life and immortality are 
brought to light." 

" My dear young children, will you listen to this last poor 
admonition of one who can only love you? 0, be deter- 
mined at once to give your whole heart to God, and let noth- 
ing shake or alter that resolution. You need have no fears 
of regretting it. Do not be vain and thoughtless, but sober- 
minded ; and let me entreat you all to love the whole rem- 
nant of our once great family. Try and build up again your 
broken walls, and to make the utmost of every stone that is left. 
Nothing can so tend to make life a blessing as the conscious- 
ness that your life and example bless and leave you the 
stronger. Still, it is ground of the utmost comfort to my 
mind to know that so many of you as have had the opportu- 
nity have given some proof of your fidelity to the great fam- 
ily of men. Be faithful unto death; from the exercise of 



14 EXTRACTS FROM THE LETTERS OF JOHN BROWN. 

habitual love to man, it cannot be very hard to love his 
Maker." 

" Be sure to owe no man any thing, but to love one another. 
John Rogers wrote to his children, ' Abhor that arrant whore 
of Rome.' John Brown writes to his children to abhor, with 
undying hatred also, that sum of all villanies, slavery. Re- 
member, he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, 
and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. Re- 
member, also, that they, being wise, shall shine, and they that 
turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever." 

" I am very cheerful, in hopes of entering on a better state 
of existence in a few hours, through infinite grace in ' Christ 
Jesus, my Lord.' Remember the 'poor that cry,' and 'them 
that are in bonds as bound with them.'" 



LAST SPEECH OF JOHN BROWN. 15 



JOHN BROWN'S LAST SPEECH. 

I have, may it please the Court, a few words to say. 

In the first place, I deny every thing but what I have all 
along admitted — the design on my part to free the slaves, 
I intended certainly to have made a clear thing of that 
matter, as I did last winter, when I went into Missouri, and 
there took slaves without the snapping of a gun on either 
side, moved them through the country, and finally left them 
in Canada. I designed to have done the same thing again, 
on a larger scale. That was all I intended. I never did 
intend murder, or treason, or the destruction of property, or 
to excite or incite slaves to rebellion, or to make insurrection. 

I have another objection : and that is, it is unjust that I 
should sufi'er such a penalty. Had I interfered in the man- 
ner which I admit, and which I admit has been fairly 
proved — (for I admire the truthfulness and candor of the 
greater portion of the witnesses who have testified in this 
case) — had I so interfered in behalf of the rich, the power- 
ful, the intelligent, the so-called great, or in behalf of any 
of their friends, either father, mother, brother, sister, wife, or 
children, or any of that class, and suffered and sacrificed 
what I have in this interference, it would have been all 
right, and every man in this Court would have deemed it an 
act worthy of reward rather than punishment. 

This Court acknowledges, as I suppose, the validity of the 
Law of Grod. I see a book kissed here which I suppose to be 
the Bible, or, at least, the New Testament. That teaches 
me that all things " whatsoever I would that men should do 
unto me, I should do even so to them." It teaches me, fur- 
ther, to "remember them that are in bonds as bound with 
them." I endeavored to act up to that instruction. I say, 
I am yet too young to understand that God is any respecter 
of persons. I believe that to have interfered as I have done, 
as I have always freely admitted I have done, in behalf of 
His despised poor, was not wrong, but right. Now, if it is 
deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the fur- 
therance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further 
with the blood of my children, and with the blood of mil- 
lions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by 



16 LAST SPEECH OF JOHN BROWN. 

wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I submit: so let it be 
done! 

Let me say one word further. 

I feel entirely satisfied with the treatment I have received 
on my trial. Considering all the circumstances, it has been 
more generous than I expected. But I feel no consciousness 
of guilt. I have stated from the first what was my intention 
and what was not. I never had any design against the life 
of any person, nor any disposition to commit treason, or 
excite slaves to rebel, or make any general insurrection. I 
never encouraged any man to do so, but always discouraged 
any idea of that kind. 

Let me say, also, a word in regard to the statements made 
by some of those connected with me. I hear it has been 
stated by some of them that I have induced them to join me. 
But the contrary is true. I do not say this to injure them, 
but as regretting their weakness. There is not one of them 
but joined me of his own accord, and the greater part at their 
own expense. A number of them I never saw, and never 
had a word of conversation with, till the day they came to 
me, and that was for the purpose I have stated. 

Now I have done. 




LB My '22 



